Come What May
by cr8zymommy
Summary: Spencer and Morgan go undercover to a cult - what happens to them when they come home? How do they adjust to their old lives after having changed in so many ways? What happened to them while they were there? A new bond is forged between them that everyone notices and they'll need that bond when someone comes to try and take away everything they hold dear...*SLASH!* **ON HIATUS**
1. Chapter 1

**Here's the start from Drabbles of the Cult drabble. I cleaned it up a little bit, added just a tiny bit, but mostly left it as is. Hope you guys really like this - it seems to be the most popular vote to continue on!**

* * *

No one was more surprised than Spencer himself when Erin Strauss walked into the bullpen that afternoon and went, not to Aaron or Dave's office, but over to Spencer's desk. "Dr. Reid, would you grab your things and come with me, please." The way she said the words made it obvious that this was an order and not a request. Spencer moved slowly to his feet, curiously watching the woman as she stood waiting for him, looking slightly impatient. He grabbed his bag and jacket, the only two things that he brought to work with him. When he straightened, she nodded at him and gestured for him to follow her. At the looks Morgan and Emily were giving him, Spencer shrugged as if to tell them 'I don't know'. He followed the woman out of the bullpen and down to her office.

As they walked inside, she gestured toward one of the chairs by her desk. "Have a seat, Dr. Reid." Erin said smoothly. She took the other chair, waiting until Spencer was settled before she spoke. She dove right in. "For a year now there's been a task force working on trying to prove the illegal activity going on inside of the Genus cult. This cult is suspected of quite a few things that so far, we haven't been able to prove, one of which is the selling of children, as well as some things that are frighteningly typical of many of these cults such as sexual relations with minors. There have also been members that have mysteriously left the group and yet, no trace of them can be found, yet we have no proof of what's happened to them. Now, most of this cult lives on a commune, but there are a few high level members that keep apartments in the city and many of them in fact work in different areas inside of the city. They proclaim that they aren't there to subvert people's free will, just to offer them a safe place to live without judgment for looks or sexuality or any of the judgments that society makes."

"I imagine they draw quite a few members that way. It would bring in those that feel unloved and unwanted and persecuted for being different." Spencer said slowly. Where on earth was this going? And why was she talking only with him in here?

"Exactly." Erin agreed. "It's been proven that they teach hand to hand combat there, but they proclaim it's only a 'self-defense' course to teach people to defend themselves if someone attempts to attack them for their differences. They claim to be non-violent, living by the creed of a God that does not judge nor hate anyone because of gender, color, sexuality, looks, or beliefs, only off of actions. Their leader, Ashton Blodgett, is a very charismatic man that's managed to not only bring in quite a few followers, but also charm the local officers so that their commune is essentially left alone. Any trouble brought, he's managed to talk his way out of."

Because he still didn't understand where this was going, Spencer kept his mouth shut, sitting back in his chair and nodding slightly to indicate that he had heard what she'd said.

For a moment Erin stared at him. Then she sat back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap. "Let me ask you a question, Dr. Reid, that may sound personal. However, I assure you I have a reason for asking." When he said nothing, she continued. "If you could name one person and only one person that you would trust in any situation, no matter the situation, to have your back and to trust with your very life, do you know who that person would be?"

There was no hesitation for Spencer to answer. "Derek Morgan." He said it in an almost absent way. While he answered her, his mind was already jumping ahead, taking what she'd just said and adding it to what had already been said. The picture that was building in his mind was a surprising one. He couldn't be right. Could he? Yet the next moment Erin picked up her phone and called someone. By way of greeting, she said "This is Section Chief Strauss. Can you come to my office? Thank you." And then she hung up. Spencer was willing to lay down money that it was Morgan she'd called. If he was right, then most likely the rest of his hypothesis was correct as well.

Erin looked at him once more and she seemed to see something on his face that had her smiling slightly. "I assume you've figured out what I'm going to ask you."

"I believe so, ma'am." Spencer said carefully.

"You have the right to refuse. You cannot be forced into this, Dr. Reid. Neither one of you can."

He nodded, falling silent. Right then he wanted to take a few moments to think of this and all the ramifications that would come if he said yes.

A few minutes later there was a brief knock at the door. Once Erin called out "Come in." the door opened and Morgan came walking into the room. The man almost instantly looked to Spencer, who was fiddling with his hands in his lap, before his eyes lifted to look at Strauss. "Ma'am." He greeted her politely.

She gestured toward the chair by Spencer. "Shut the door and have a seat, Agent Morgan."

When Morgan sat, he looked to Spencer once more, a question in his eyes. Spencer blew out a breath and simply waited for Erin to explain it all. She didn't waste any time before launching into the same speech that she'd already given Spencer. This time, when she got done with the speech, she finally got to the meat of what she was calling them in for. "I'm going to lay this out plainly to you two. Three separate times we've attempted to get undercover agents inside and each time, they've done something to tip off Blodgett. The man doesn't act violent, doesn't threaten. He always meets new people outside of the compound first and each time he's met an agent, halfway through the interview he tells them that he doesn't house federal agents on his compound. It was suggested that profilers might be the key to getting inside."

Spencer couldn't stop the question that sat on the tip of his tongue. "But why me?" He blurted out. Flushing, he hurried to clarify his statement. "Of all the profilers you could have chosen, I don't understand why you would recommend me, ma'am."

"There are a few reasons behind the choice, Dr. Reid. Ashton is intelligent and he seems to greatly respect intelligence, something you carry in abundance. Your intelligence also led us to choose you because you'll have the ability, if the opportunity presents, to view any documents that Ashton may have, any paper trails or account numbers where he might be keeping the money he gets from this, and your memory will allow you to recall it without having to keep notations that could get you caught. Also," Pausing, Erin actually looked a little embarrassed by what she was saying next, turning her eyes away from him. "With a change of clothes, you'll most definitely look far from being a federal agent. But we didn't want to send an agent in alone, with no backup at all, just in case things happen inside." She added the last part quickly as if trying to gloss past the first part of what she said. Spencer didn't really care. He knew he didn't look like an agent. It was just a fact of life.

"We've got someone close, an informant, who can get you in the door. Their job is recruitment, finding the right people with the right information to 'join'. You two would have to live on site, unlike some, but you'll have the capability to leave the compound and work in town. At least, if you get past the initial interview." She looked form one face to the other. "You two don't have to agree to this. There's no telling how long it'll take to gather evidence or how long you'll end up being in there. And there are risks involved, just as in any undercover job."

After a pause, Morgan looked over at Spencer briefly, his expression unreadable. Then he looked back to Erin. "Can we have a moment to talk about this, maybe, ma'am?"

"Of course." Pushing back from her desk, she rose to her feet. "I'll step out for a few minutes. I ask that you stay in here to talk. I'm sure you understand."

Spencer nodded absently at her, his mind still racing, thinking through all the outcomes that could come from this. The good and the bad, both. At the same time, he was thinking of what it would mean for him to disappear for who knows how long. He had his mother to think about. Sure, her care would still be paid for. The account that was used for it was well stocked with a nest egg just in case something ever happened to him and the money necessary was drafted out directly, so there was no worry about _that_ aspect of things. Other than her, the only people he had in his life to vanish from was the team. It would be hard to be away from them, but he could do it if he had to. Could he honestly walk away from this, knowing that children were being sold and there was the potential that he could get in and save them if he just manned up and went?

"You in there, kid?"

The question startled Spencer out of his thoughts. He jerked a little before connecting that the voice was Morgan's. Blush heated his cheeks. "Sorry. Yes, I'm here. I was just thinking."

Morgan smiled and shook his head a little. "And that's new, how?" His teasing smile faded away and he twisted a little in his chair to better look at Spencer. "So, what do you think of this, Reid? Is this something you think you might be able to do? Keep in mind that it looks like the brunt of the work would be on you."

"I have to." The words came out before Spencer thought about them. He realized the truth of it as soon as he said it, though. "I can't walk away and say no, Morgan. I have to go. If they've already tried and no one's managed to get in and they honestly think I'm their chance to get in, how can I say no? I have to at least try."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Morgan prodded. His tone and body language were very, very serious. "Remember what happened the last time you visited a cult, Reid. Not just to you, but to Prentiss. Are you prepared to take the chance of that happening to you? Are you prepared for what could happen if they discover you're a Fed while you're there?"

Though part of Spencer gave a tiny little quiver at that reminder—no matter what anyone said, he still held some guilt over Emily being hurt by Benjamin Cyrus—the rest of him was firm with his resolve. "I am."

Gaze firm, Morgan looked at him, staring steadily at Spencer's face as if trying to read something there. Finally, he nodded. "Then I'm in too."

The simplicity of that statement surprised Spencer. For Morgan to agree so easily wasn't at all what he'd expected. "Morgan…" He turned as well, his voice slightly earnest. "You have a lot more to worry about leaving for a while than I do. A home, a dog, a family that will worry about you…"

"My family will understand. This isn't the first time I've worked deep cover, kid." Smirking, Morgan settled back in his chair, looking so much more relaxed than he had only moments before. "Plus, you think I'm going to let you walk into something potentially deadly and _not_ be there to watch your ass? You attract trouble like a magnet, Reid. Someone's gotta be there to keep you safe."

That had Spencer scoffing lightly and shaking his head. Leave it to Morgan to think of things on those terms. In that single statement, Spencer gained understanding as to why Morgan agreed so easily. There seemed to be no ends to the man's need to keep Spencer safe from anything that he possibly could. This, though…this was a hell of a thing to commit to just to keep someone safe. "You know, you can take your protective mode a little far sometimes. If you refused, someone else would go with me. I wouldn't be alone."

"As if that's any better? I'd worry like hell the whole time you were gone, man. No. This way I know you're protected because I'm gonna be the one doing it. Plus, are you really telling me you'd be comfortable with someone else? Some random agent that you're stuck working closely with?"

No, he wouldn't be comfortable with that. And if he was honest, the idea of Morgan coning with him made this all seem just a little bit easier. If he had to be stuck with someone, at least it would be with someone he not only knew and liked, but trusted with his very life every day that they'd worked together. "Fine." He said with a small little half smile. As Morgan got up to go get Erin and let her know of their decision, Spencer looked over and said "Morgan?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Morgan's smile flashed wide and bright. "No problem, kid. No problem."

When Erin walked into the room a moment later, her eyes went back and forth between the two of them. Spencer rose, standing beside Morgan, and the two looked over her desk at her. "We'll do it."

Relief flashed into her eyes and she actually smiled a little at them. "Then let's get you two ready. We need you ready to go as soon as possible. We'll go meet with the team and catch you up to date on everything they have and see if we can figure out the best cover story for you two."

"Actually, I've got an idea on that, ma'am." Spencer spoke up carefully. "You said they advertise safety from persecution for those that are different, whether it be for sexuality, gender, race, or other differences. I think I know how to play on that."

Side by side, the two men followed Erin Strauss from her office, neither knowing fully what they were walking into or what would be waiting for them when they got there. But at the very least, the friends were going to be facing it side by side, and somehow it didn't seem as bad when they thought about it that way.


	2. Chapter 2

Based off of the descriptions Rolland had given, it was easy to spot the two young men the instant they came into the coffee shop. They were rather hard to miss. One of them, a muscular black man, was dressed kind of plain in blue jeans, a t-shirt and a leather jacket, with sunglasses resting over his eyes. According to Rolland, it was about how the man dressed all the time. He was a simple, basic man. A laborer. The information said the man had worked odd jobs in the construction business. Anything that he could take here and there to make ends meet. He would be a good person to have on the compound. Ashton could already picture the things the man could do to help the community.

It was the man with him that really stood out and who was the one that Ashton was most interested to meet with. He didn't look like much, yet Ashton knew well that looks could be deceiving. The young man was dressed in, well, a rather eclectic fashion. He wore a t-shirt with the batman logo on the front, a black short sleeved over shirt that was left unbuttoned, fingerless black gloves and black and white striped arm warmers. Then, to make the outfit even more unique, he wore red plaid pants that were held up on a tiny waist with a black belt, and a pair of converse shoes. Long brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail with bits of hair still trialing in his face. He looked like he'd simply rolled out of bed and grabbed whatever was available.

A very deceiving look indeed. Rolland's report said the young man was an absolute genius. They didn't know his IQ as they had no money to go get him tested, but Rolland had said that it was easy to see it was high. He'd graduated high school but hadn't attended college for lack of money. Yet he apparently could compute complex mathematical problems in his head and had an amazing memory when it came to topics of interest. Rolland also said the man was autistic. High functioning, but obviously autistic. It was part of the reason he'd approached the two. The man with him was his best friend and self-proclaimed advocate since the young one had turned eighteen and his parents had turned him out of the house. His friend had taken him in, gotten them an apartment together and worked hard to make sure that his friend was taken care of. Whether there was more to the relationship or not, Rolland said neither would admit to.

There were certain qualities that members of the family looked for when inviting others to come and join their family. One of the major ones was if the person or people were obviously ostracized where they were, left with no options because society wasn't approving of them, how they lived, or who they were. In the report it had said that these two fit that perfectly. The young one apparently had been assaulted repeatedly when he left the house, a victim of bullies who liked to pick on those smaller than them or those mentally ill. Because of that and because of his few quirks, which the report said were not detrimental to day to day life, the young man had a hard time keeping a job. In return, his partner was forced to shoulder the full set of bills and was left with little to no time to his friend or himself even.

Of course, they had to be cautious, even with two that looked perfect. _Especially_ with two that looked perfect. Three times now the FBI had tried to get spies into the compound. The last thing that Ashton would allow was spies inside of his home. Those others, though, they had been easy to spot almost instantly. Nothing about these two suggested FBI. The bigger man, maybe, if he had come on his own. But the younger, smaller one? Oh, no. He looked more like a starving teen than FBI. Their backgrounds had checked out, too. Nothing in there that set off any warning bells.

As they made their way to a table to wait—they'd been told to seat themselves at the coffee shop and that Ashton would approach them—he took a moment to observe them. It was the best way to gauge how people were, watching them when they didn't know. Watching the two of them, Ashton learned a few things. One was that there was definitely a bond between the two. It was obvious in the way they moved together, talking as much with bodies and expressions as they did with words. The second was more a confirmation of information. The darker man definitely took care of the other; so much so that it seemed to happen instinctually.

Confident in his assessment, Ashton rose, gesturing to his right hand man Bernard to watch for him. Then Ashton made his way over alone, heading straight to the men's table. As he got close, he heard the younger one laugh as he said "Knock it off, Jace. It's a perfectly acceptable request, I'll have you know!"

The darker man—Jace Hawkins—shook his head and laughed as well. "Come on, Sebastian. You had to admit, it does make you look weird. No one orders every single topping to their burger on the side."

Sebastian Gallo—the younger one—made some sound before he said "They never assemble it properly. Can you expect me to eat an improperly assembled burger? Don't be preposterous."

Ashton wasn't able to keep the amusement from his face as he stepped right up to the table and smiled down at the two of them. "Hello." He put on his most friendly smile, looking from the slightly cautious expression that Jace wore to the pleasant expression on Sebastian's bruised face. The young man still sported the black eye and split lip that Rolland said came from the last and final assault that had prompted these two to finally leave town. Because of his report, he was prepared for the way Sebastian's eyes flickered to him and away again, never meeting his eyes. "I take it you two are Sebastian and Jace? My name's Ashton." This was going to be easy. He could tell already; the two were perfect.

* * *

There were some days that Aaron Hotchner would have willingly handed over the duties of Unit Chief to someone else and simply gone home to be with his son. Some days that he didn't want to be the one in charge; the one required to deliver bad news and to remain strong through it. Today was one of those days. When he watched what was left of his team file into the conference room, Garcia included, he wished he didn't have to stand here and that he didn't have to tell them what he was about to tell them. Yet the only other option would have been for Strauss to inform them and that was the last thing he was going to let happen.

There really was no easy way for him to tell them this. No way to phrase it that would 'soften the blow' at all. Because of that, Aaron didn't bother trying. He didn't sugarcoat what he said. When everyone was seated around him, he looked from face to face. Dave, Emily, Seaver, Garcia. The fact that this was happening so close to them losing JJ and gaining Ashley didn't really help matters any. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the blowout that was about to happen. "Seaver, would you close the door, please?" he asked her politely. She gave him a strange look before rising and shutting the door that had been behind her. Once it was shut, she took her seat once more and all eyes were on him. It was show time. "I just got done with a meeting with Strauss. This morning, when she called Reid into her office and then Morgan, it was because she was offering them an assignment. One that the Bureau believes them to be well suited for. Because of the nature of the assignment, I'm not allowed to tell you where exactly they're going or what they're doing, but I can tell you that they're going to be undercover. Deep undercover."

"_What?_" Garcia exclaimed loudly.

Shock was on the other faces. Ashley's was less than theirs but it was still present. "How long?" Their newest agent asked him.

Aaron shook his head a little at her. "We don't know. There's no definite time frame set; it could be months. On that note, we've been assigned a temporary agent, just until the two return to us. His name is Andrew Carlton. All he knows is that these two are out on assignment and that, starting this afternoon, he's going to be helping fill in the gap for as long as need be. He has no idea about them being undercover and that's the way we'd like to keep it. As far as anyone outside this room is concerned, Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid have been transferred to another team and put on temporary desk duty, citing injuries that have been manufactured. But there will always be a place here for them whenever they come back."

Garcia looked devastated, Ashley looked resigned, Emily had pulled up a shield so that Aaron saw nothing but a quick furious flash in her eyes before she was closed off, and Dave looked both calm and understanding. He'd been around the business long enough to know that things like this happened. There was a slight amount of worry in his eye _because_ he knew what these kinds of things could be like, but he was practical enough to know that nothing he said or did was going to change it.

"When do we meet this Andrew?" Dave asked him finally. At the surprised looks from the others, he shrugged. "I'm being practical here, guys. This new guy is going to be a part of the team, even if it is temporary. Don't you think we need to get to know the guy a little before a case comes up?"

"We shouldn't have to deal with anyone new at all." Emily stated in a neutral voice. Aaron had known that, out of the four of them that went into the field, Emily would have the hardest time with this. Not that she wasn't adaptable; she definitely was. But because being in the field like this required trusting those around you and she wasn't one who gave her trust easily. To lose two that she definitely did trust and gain one that she didn't even know was going to be a hard adjustment for her. She would work with him and she would be polite, he knew. She wouldn't raise a fuss beyond this meeting. But she wouldn't trust the man.

"No, we shouldn't." Ashley said softly to the woman. "But that doesn't change it. Until they're done, Reid and Morgan can't come back. Our jobs can't just stop because of that. We have to keep working until they get back."

That flash came and went in Emily's eyes once more and Aaron resisted wincing. If he'd been able to, he would've stopped Ashley from giving that little speech. She might have thought she was helping and with anyone else, she probably would have been. With Emily, a little speech like that was enough to get the woman's back up.

In an effort to stop this before it got going, Aaron rose from his chair. "Agent Carlton is out in the bullpen, waiting for my word to come up. I'm going to go and get him and I want all of us to work to make him comfortable on the team. And remember, what we've just discussed does _not_ leave this room. Their safety could depend on that. Now, are you ready?"

* * *

**Hope you guys like that! I'm trying to be a little creative with how I show the two of them there and remember, the way they act is just that, acting, m'kay? I don't believe they're really like that in those parts. The boys are playing a part. Okay, anyways, review and let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I have a few of these half written, so I decided to wrap this chapter up and get it posted. It's below my usual 2k word limit I set myself, but still, I feel it says what it needs to. And a big thank you to those that have already reviewed and added this story. Wow. Way to make a gal feel special lol :P Now remember, I warned people in the drabble, the first few chaps are half and half, to get us through the undercover operation. The bulk of the story is once they get home. So only another chap or two, or three I can't remember, and then the boys come home and we start the main part of the story. Woot woot! Okay, okay, go ahead and read on :D**

* * *

Footsteps sounded outside of Ashton's office only moments before the door opened and someone came rushing inside. He wasn't the least bit surprised to see that it was Sebastian. He was the only one who would simply rush into his office this way. The young man wore a wide, happy grin, his eyes lit with that light that said he was thrilled with whatever it was that he'd found. Not that it really took much to make him happy. In his hands he clutched a book which Ashton would bet was the source of his joy. "Pater, Pater, look what I found! Look!" Sebastian exclaimed excitedly as he got close.

The man across the desk from Ashton raised an eyebrow when Sebastian raced straight around the desk to practically shove the book in Ashton's hands while at the same time sitting himself down on the corner. The man looked even more surprised when Ashton smiled at Sebastian and took the book, turning it to look at the spine.

In an instant he saw why the young man was so excited. It hadn't taken long before the two discovered a shared love of classic literature. Once the two had moved into the compound, Ashton had happily showed Sebastian the library they had and he'd enjoyed watching the man grow so excited over it. Many times over the past three months the two had sat and discussed books at length, or even read together here in the office. Sebastian had curled up a few times on Ashton's couch to read aloud to him or to read to himself while Jace was working. Though capable of being alone, Sebastian seemed to thrive better in small groups or one on one company and he was quickly becoming very well loved among the people in their family.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray." Ashton read aloud. He stroked a hand over the spine. This was one both the both of them had admitted to loving and one that neither had. "Where on earth did you find this, my child?"

"Mattie took me to town with her today so I could find myself some new books, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste. The kind with the red and white, not the blue and white. That's important, mind you. After we obtained our toiletries, Mattie took me to the Salvation Army and we looked at clothes. I insisted I needed no more clothes but she bought me seven new socks, all of them spectacularly different, two new sets of arm warmers and three sets of colorful gloves. Wasn't that magnanimous of her?"

Ashton smiled at the almost childlike enthusiasm that clothes seemed to have garnered in his newest child. "That was very generous of her, yes."

"Then while she looked at women's items, she proclaimed that I needed to occupy myself as it is apparently inappropriate for a man to be with a woman as she buys underclothes. I don't quite understand the logic in that. She told me that you or Jace would explain it to me because you're both men and you understand, but I think Mattie might have just been unable to answer so she hopes that one of you can. Not that it matters. I was quite pleased to go to the literature as she asked me to and to peruse what they might have. And lo and behold, look what I found! I _had_ to get it and when we arrived home, I had to bring it straight to you to show you. May we start reading it immediately, Pater? May we, please?"

Laughter bubbled up Ashton's throat. "I'm completing some business right now, child." He explained gently. When Sebastian's face fell, Ashton made a split second decision. "You know, I was almost done." He rose from his chair and gestured toward it. "Why don't you sit here and finish the last book you were reading in here while you wait for me? I'm going to escort Mr. Alec out to his car and finish the last of our discussion along the way. Does that sound acceptable to you, Sebastian?"

"Yes, Pater. Thank you so much for your consideration." Springing off the desk, Sebastian made his way over to the table where he kept his books that he read in here. He grabbed it and brought it back over, seating himself in Ashton's large chair. He preferred to set the boy there to wait because he knew that, after a day walking in town, Sebastian was going to be sore. Everyone knew the boy had been injured badly on his knee in a particularly serious assault neither he nor Jace liked to speak of. Occasionally when he walked too much or the day was too hot, he'd get swelling in it. They had to be especially careful on the days he was in his self-defense training because Sebastian would push himself much further than he really should. He was so eager to learn to defend himself, though, and such a star pupil. So long as it was explained right to him, if the instructor took the time to say it and show it the right way and he allowed Jace to assist, then Sebastian would absorb everything he was taught.

Ashton knew that if the young man sat on the couch right now he'd curl his legs up and only make it worse for later. Here in the chair he was forced to sit properly. Stroking a hand over Sebastian's hair in a paternal sort of way, the man looked over to his guest. "Come, Alec, allow me to escort you out. As soon as you get those items I requested, we can complete our business." As he spoke, Ashton led Alec from the room, paying absolutely no attention to the folders he'd left on his desk, right out in the open, or to the young man who suddenly was shifting his book to rest on the desk right by those folders. He never saw as the usually dreamy, happy eyes turned suddenly sharp.

* * *

If she was honest with herself, Emily would admit that Andrew Carlton—or Drew, as he asked to be called—was a good profiler and a nice person. Really, he was. He was friendly to them all, well mannered, acted well with victims and could be ruthless with Unsubs and he was also good at his job. Any other circumstance and she would've considered it perfectly fine to work with the man. Hell, he was even pretty easy on the eyes. Not as muscular as Morgan, but still in good shape. He stood like an inch taller than her. With his blond high and tight hair and bright blue eyes, he had a tendency to get a few looks from people. Even Garcia had glaringly admitted that he had a _minor_ appeal, though she'd quickly amended the statement by saying that he was nothing like her 'chocolate God'.

All of those things, Emily would admit on a good day. Today? Not a good day. Not at all. Though it was entirely unfair, almost everything he was doing today was slowly driving her up the wall. Why? Well, as stated, she knew it wasn't fair, she knew it wasn't right, but today of all days she was having problems even having to see the man in connection to their job, let alone work and listen to him.

Today was Reid's birthday.

Since she'd joined the BAU, this would be the first birthday the team wouldn't spend with him. The first one they wouldn't bring in a cake and presents and watch the young genius laugh and stutter and blush his way through a party that still surprised him each year. To know that right now she was stuck with this, this _replacement_ while somewhere out there, under who knows what kind of conditions, with only Morgan beside him as a friendly face, her little brother—and she just _dared_ anyone to try and suggest that the scrawny little nerd wasn't her brother. She'd adopted him a long time ago and that was all there was to it—was celebrating a birthday without his family around him. It was just _wrong_.

It was because of that, because of the irritation that simmered underneath the surface, that when Andrew made some innocent comment toward her, she found herself snapping before storming away, leaving a very confused man standing behind her.

Drew turned to look at the other profilers left in the room, hoping they'd be able to shed some light on the situation.

Dave was the one to take pity on the man. He reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder briefly. "It wasn't anything you did." He reassured him softly. "Today is just…difficult for Prentiss. Her…adopted brother, his birthday is today, and she's having a hard time not being able to be with him."

Sympathy crossed Drew's face. "Thanks for telling me, Rossi." The profiler said. He didn't mention the quick flash over Dave's face, or the slight tightening around the Unit Chief's eyes, or any of the other signs that told him that this wasn't just a hard day for Emily Prentiss. Something about this day was hard for all of them except for maybe Ashley Seaver. She seemed her usual self. Yet drew knew that there was no point in pressing it, most especially with this group of people. The three in question were the type to clam up the instant they felt someone was getting too personal. He'd get nothing out of them. Maybe he could get answers out of Ashley later, if she actually knew anything, that was. Sometimes he had a feeling that she was just as much an outsider as he was, and Drew knew he was an outsider.

It had been three months to the day since he had joined the team and in those three months he had to say that they treated him okay here and they were all friendly. That, he could never deny. Yet he couldn't erase the feeling that, sometimes when they looked at him, they were wishing someone else was there. Maybe he was being ridiculous. Maybe he was overreacting. But that thought stayed in the back of his mind.

Later, maybe he'd corner Ashley and ask her, and maybe he wouldn't. For now, he put on his best face and nodded at his coworkers before getting back to work. They had an Unsub to find.

* * *

**Hope I did okay with this. I'm trying to expand a little and work on my characterization of the other BAU members. I tend to uh, forget them sometimes :/ Or, not write them well. At least in my opinion. So, this was my little attempt at Emily. Hope it went okay :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Watching through his window, Ashton smiled at the sight before him. Jace was in the middle of an open part of the yard, standing surrounded by some of the younger residents, a football in hand as he taught them how to play the game. The children loved spending time with him and, in the past six months that the man had been here, he'd shown an almost natural affinity for dealing with them. He had a way of getting them to sit down and listen that was admirable, yet he was almost infinitely patient with them. Then again, it may have come from caring for his friend for so long. Caring for Sebastian required a firm tone some times and definite patience at others; at least, until you got used to how the man worked.

Speaking of…where was Sebastian? He was supposed to come in for his afternoon visit and he was running late. Absentmindedness was normal for the man, but not when it came to daily activities. On those, he ran on a tight schedule and deviation from that schedule could be difficult for him to comprehend and process.

Slightly worried, Ashton set off from his office, intent on finding the young man. It didn't take him long to track him down. However, when he found him, it was in the last place he'd expected. Sebastian was outside, talking with a man on the front yard to the main house. Now, Sebastian talking to someone wasn't unusual. Blessed be, the man could get to talking about a topic that interested him, running off at the mouth whether or not the person with him was even listening. He was friendly, too. But why was the man—a client who was supposed to have been leaving from a meeting—talking with Sebastian? What would he have to say to him? A small spark of worry hit. Could the man be trying to convert Sebastian away from here? Had he been wrong in trying to sell to this man? Could he be a plant? No, no, that wasn't possible. He was damn good at detecting plants the FBI tried to get in. He'd just ousted another one two months ago!

All of a sudden the man put his hands against Sebastian's chest and shoved him back, knocking him to the ground, before turning and storming away. Eyes wide, Ashton hurried outside. At the same time he saw Lily and Carolynn running over from the garden. The three of them reached Sebastian at the same time, all of them reaching to help him upright. "Oh, you poor thing!" Lily exclaimed. She was dusting off Sebastian's clothes, getting the dirt and grass off. "That horrible man!"

"I, I was just telling him things." Sebastian said softly. His head was bowed and his hair was falling forward to hide his face. "He said something about the distance from here to town and I told him the distance in varying forms of transportation." His head bowed down a little lower. "I forgot people don't like when I talk too much."

Carolynn leaned in and gave Sebastian a brief hug, the only kind of hug he could handle. He was uncomfortable with longer touches. "You don't talk too much, sweet boy. You talk plenty fine to me, you hear me?"

Still Sebastian looked depressed. For a second Ashton wasn't sure what to do. Then inspiration hit and he smiled. There was something Sebastian had only recently started to help him with and it would not only cheer the man up, it would help out Ashton tremendously. "I almost forgot, my child. I have a job for you to do today if you're up for it. It's the end of the week and I need my numbers tallied and my math done. Do you think you'd like to come and balance my books for me?"

Happiness lit Sebastian's face when he eagerly looked up. "Oh, could I?" Nothing made him happier than working with numbers. He was happier with numbers than even with his reading. It didn't matter what they were for and Ashton had discovered that Sebastian didn't even pay attention to where the numbers went. When he'd had the man tally things for their shopping budget, he'd later asked him a question about one of the items and he'd had to laugh at Sebastian's confusion. He'd remember the number but had no care in the world for what the number belonged to. For the situation here, that made him the perfect accountant. One that would tally the numbers without knowing anything about what they were for. Taking in a brilliant, autistic young man had proved to be a greater asset than Ashton had ever hoped for.

Sebastian's excited "Of course!" had Ashton and the two women chuckling. With a wide grin, Ashton gestured Sebastian toward the house and together, the two set off for the office. _You know, if we're careful, he'd be perfect to take with us on important meetings. His memory would allow him to recall information later and I wouldn't have to haul around things to make sure my numbers were right. And his hand to hand is improving, so long as someone's there to support him and tell him to fight, he can win most of the time now. I could up him and Jace, take them to target training, and then start bringing them out. Jace I was already thinking of and he can keep control of Sebastian. It could work and work well. Jace is loyal and Sebastian is perfectly loyal. Yes, I think this will work out nicely. _Pleased with his plan, Ashton's smile grew.

He was already starting to build the plan as he took Sebastian inside. The more he thought about this, the more right it seemed. Jace might take some watching and some convincing when they actually went to meetings, but Ashton was confident that he could bring Jace around to his side of things. Plus, there was no need to let him know everything about what they were doing. Sebastian, though…with the simplicity through which the man viewed the world, it would be easy to make him see that this was right so long as Ashton said it was. He'd taken to Ashton quite a bit, looking up to his 'Pater', as all his followers called him. While intellectually, Sebastian was most definitely a genius, he was much more simplistic in the rest of his life. He was friendly to most everyone, not realizing that people might hurt him. He tended to see the best in them all. In contrast, Jace tended to watch everyone with a hint of suspicion as if compensating for his friend's naiveté. They were a good pair, and they were proving to be good 'children'.

Yes, yes, this plan was going to work out nicely. He was going to start work on it this very afternoon. The sooner, the better.

* * *

It was so strange to look at the team these days. Dave sat back in his chair, a cup of coffee in his hand as he stared across his office at the wall opposite him. That wasn't what he was seeing, though. His mind was moving and his eyes were unfocused, his attention turned inward. Absently he took a sip off of his coffee as he thought about the team he worked with, the team that was like family to him. Before coming back to the Bureau, he had never worked like this. Profiling had been a solo job, not a team effort. When he came back, the adjustment to being a part of a team, to working with others instead of on his own, had been a difficult one. Yet he'd done it. Now? Now he wouldn't change it for the world. They did good, this group of people. Lives were saved because of them.

Yet working the job that they did, seeing the things they saw and living the things they lived through, it was impossible to work day in and day out with the same people and _not_ form a strong bond with them. To work that closely with someone, to go into situations that the only thing that stood between you and death were your teammates, it required a great amount of trust. Trust that was earned, little by little, case by case, moment by moment. All of them had grown used to that trust being there now. They'd grown used to knowing who was behind them and knowing that person well enough to most of the time be able to predict how they were going to react. It made it easier to work in these kinds of situations because you almost didn't need words.

That was what this team had. That was what they had become. The family bond had already been there before Dave had joined and he had wondered about it at first, wondering if it was practical to get those close when you knew there was a chance that, at any moment in the field you could lose one of those people you called 'family'. He'd decided early on not to get that attached.

Dave chuckled softly at that thought. That plan had worked out so well. But he dared anyone to work with these people and not grow close, grow attached. At the time, he hadn't noticed how much he was growing to care for them and them for him. Looking back, he couldn't pinpoint when it started, but he could see random moments that had built it. When Garcia—their ever bubbly Penelope, who tried to keep them in smiles with the horror they saw—got shot outside her apartment, that had been one. It had infuriated him to see someone so kind and gentle be hurt that way, no matter the cause. Seeing Morgan struggle with his faith both right before and right after that incident had drawn him to the man. Struggles in faith were something Dave understood.

Seeing Spencer go to the wall for the kid, Owen, identifying with their Unsub through a shared kind of pain. That had started him toward seeing more beneath the geeky exterior than he'd known. Almost losing Aaron when his SUV blew up had brought home how much of a friend the man was to him. Emily and Spencer inside that cult with Benjamin Cyrus. His stomach had been in knots the whole time he'd had to negotiate and as he'd had to listen to Emily insist that she could take it while she was being beaten right for them to hear.

So, so many moments that just made those ties tighter, that bond stronger. Emily confiding in him about her past, telling him about the abortion she'd had. Aaron, when the Reaper came back. Spencer, when he caught anthrax and they almost lost him. Canada, when all of them were pushed to their limits. The Reaper coming back, coming for Aaron. That had brought all of them together on one shared target, shared pain, and still it hadn't been enough. The grief afterwards as they banded together and worked to support their Unit Chief had made the ties even tighter. Woven through all of these moments, quiet and supportive, always there, was JJ. The motherly figure of their little group, taking care of them without letting any of them realize that they were being taken care of.

Then those bonds had been tested when JJ had been taken from them. It had been like a physical blow to the team. Dave compared it to a man losing a limb in war; painful, traumatic, and it took a long time to heal from. Even then, what was left was never the same. Even if you learned to function without that limb, going days sometimes not noticing its absence, eventually you were always reminded that it was no longer there and you would find yourself wishing for it to be there once more.

They'd recovered as best as possible from that blow. Though it had been hard and it had taken some time on all their parts, they'd managed to find their roles once more and maintain that bond, that strength that they'd always had. Then Ashley had been brought to the team. The poor girl, barely ready to be in the field, trying so hard to impress these people that she was quietly in awe of and knowing all the while that there were times they looked at her and maybe, sometimes, they resented her presence slightly. Though he knew it wasn't fair, Dave could admit he'd felt that way once or twice. It was almost as if JJ had been traded out for Ashley and there was no way the young girl could live up to JJ's reputation. To her credit, Ashley still fought to do her job, even knowing that sometimes she wasn't up to par. The trust between them and her wasn't like it was between one another, but they all tried.

Now…now this. The instant Aaron had said that Spencer and Morgan were undercover, Dave had known this was a blow that would hit the team hard. It wasn't as if the men had died, yet with them being undercover and not able to contact any of them, it almost felt as if they had. They all knew that there was nothing they could do about this and that it was just a part of the job. In their heads, they knew that. The rest of them? Not so much. Where they'd lost a limb with JJ's departure, they almost felt as if half of their 'body' were gone with the men's departure.

A sigh slid out as Dave took another drink of his coffee. Here, to himself, he could admit that he did breathe a little easier knowing the two were on assignment together. If it had been just one or the other, this would have been harder. But knowing that they were together, two who had absolute trust with each other, who knew one another so well, it helped him not worry as hard about them. Morgan would keep an eye on Spencer, just as he always did. The older man seemed to make that his mission—well, okay, all of them did. But that was just because Spencer seemed to attract trouble to him without even trying! But Morgan was one of the few who could do it without pissing Spencer off.

Whether he liked to admit it or not, Morgan needed someone at his back, too, just like everyone else. It had amused Dave time and time again to watch the big, tough man act so self-sufficient, never quite realizing the things the quiet man beside him did to take care of him.

Now that the two had been gone for six months—Jesus, had it really been six months already?—Dave was coming to realize that it hadn't been just Morgan that Spencer had taken care of. The man simply had a caretaker personality. Without him here, things they'd taken for granted, things they'd never questioned, were suddenly gone. Silly things, like creamer types they liked that were supplied at the stations they traveled to. Or the tea that had been on the jet that they'd all loved and none of them but Garcia had realized that Spencer personally supplied.

Their loss was felt keenly on cases. Sure, they had Drew, and he was a good profiler. Definitely. Dave could see the young man making a good name for himself in the Bureau. But whereas Ashley had fought some to try to live up to JJ's reputation, Drew had the reputations of both Morgan and Spencer to live up to and that was just impossible to expect of one person. No one could be another Derek Morgan. With his combination of damn good profiling skills, his years of experience in varying areas like bomb squad, obsessional crimes, and his joking reputation as a destroyer of doors, he was a unique individual. And there could never be another Spencer Reid. No one had that kid's intelligence, memory, or innate profiling skills coupled with the humbleness and innocence that he still managed to carry around. It wasn't Drew's fault that they kept looking for someone to question them or make them laugh as Morgan had done, or ramble at them or provide them with just the right fact at just the right time like Spencer had done.

It was more than just work things, though. They were missing their friends in this, too. Dave missed the random card games he and Spencer had played some nights when neither had wanted to go home to their empty places, so they'd stayed a little late at the BAU and played rounds of poker in Dave's office. He missed the talks he'd had with Morgan on architecture, or debates about religion, or a million other topics that others might not suspect they would even talk about. He knew he wasn't the only one that missed listening to the two bicker out in the bullpen, pulling Emily into those arguments that usually ended with Emily and Morgan laughing and Spencer blushing as he chuckled.

Another sigh slid from Dave. He downed the rest of his coffee, swallowing the lukewarm liquid. Sitting here thinking and reminiscing about this wasn't going to get him anywhere but down. Hearing a voice out in the bullpen, he made a quick decision. He set his cup down and rose from his chair. What they needed right now was something to perk them up. So he grabbed his jacket and headed out to the bullpen where Emily, Garcia, Aaron and Drew were all talking, each one looking ready to head out.

"Hey!" Dave called out to get their attention. They all looked over at him as he made his way down to them. "Who's hungry? My treat."

"Oh, I'm definitely hungry then." Emily said jokingly.

Garcia laughed and smiled at him. "Sounds like a plan, Sir."

It didn't take but a second more for Drew and Aaron both to agree. Together, the group of profilers set out. And if they all noticed the lack in their group, that little piece that was missing, by mutual agreement they all said not a word on it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow. I'm absolutely stunned by how many people are loving this story so far. You guys are great! Thank you so, so, so SO much! I'm trying to use this story to help me explore other characters a little, because I know I'm horrible at focusing mostly on Spencer and Morgan (mostly Spencer) and I don't want my writing to be JUST them. I want to do the others justice too. So, bear with me as I practice my other characters a little bit here and there in this story. :) And, as always, thank you for your reviews! Keep em coming you guys are making me feel so great!**

* * *

This was going to be his biggest sale yet. This was the one that was going to get his foot in the door to bigger and better places. That was all Ashton could think as he waited for his buyers to arrive. The truck was waiting outside with the merchandise inside, being guarded by his men. Soon, soon, they would make the exchange, he would get his money, and then they would be out of here and it would be the start of something great. Some _huge_. Once this deal went through, it would be the start of him really making a name for himself in the black market. Money would never be a problem ever again.

It was all going perfectly. Everything was running on schedule. As the doors opened and his clients walked in—two men with eight guards, as agreed—Ashton felt himself grin on the inside. Inside, he was dancing with joy. On the outside, he was calm, ever the businessman. With one hand he gestured to his side, calling both Bernard and Sebastian forward. His right hand man and his, well, his accountant and slightly secret weapon; the perfect bodyguard because no one suspected him of having talent. And oh, did he have talent now. He'd taken well to training.

The group met in the middle of the empty warehouse. "You have the item?" The man said simply.

Ashton nodded. "I do." His words were just as simple. "You have your part?"

"I do."

Just as Ashton gestured Bernard forward so he could take one man out to view and assess the merchandise, there was a sudden commotion and all hell broke loose. Every door on the warehouse burst open and the room was suddenly full of cops and SWAT. "FBI!" A voice shouted out. "Everyone put your hands in the air!"

"Son of a bitch." Ashton swore. He started to move back, intending on slipping behind Bernard and off to the side before any agents could get near him; a smart man always had an escape route. But all of a sudden he found a gun directly in his face, pointed right at his forehead, and when he looked down the barrel he was stunned to see Sebastian on the other end, his sweet face gone cold and hard. "Freeze." The young man said in a voice Ashton had never heard before. "Ashton Blodgett, you're under arrest."

Shock had him frozen. "What the hell is this? Sebastian?" What the hell was going on? What was Sebastian doing?

Out of the corner of his eye, Ashton saw as Bernard used the slight chaos around them to slip back behind crates, taking the exit that Ashton had been intending on taking only moments before. He resisted the urge to smirk. Maybe these Feds had him, but his right hand man was free and they had plans in place for things like this. Ashton was always prepared for any eventuality and this was no different. Bernard would know what to do.

Hands were suddenly on him, pulling his hands behind his back and cuffing them together, and it was Jace's voice there, reciting his rights to him. Rage coiled inside of Ashton; he had been betrayed. Betrayed by two he had thought he could implicitly trust. Ashton kept his eyes on the young man he'd thought he'd known and he let a smile grow on his lips. "Just wait, Sebastian." He told him happily. "Just wait." _I will make you pay for this, I swear it. You and your damn 'friend' with you._

At those words, Jace jerked hard on his arms and pulled Ashton away so that he couldn't see Sebastian anymore. It didn't matter. Whatever Jace was saying now didn't matter either. A cold fury was taking over Ashton. All of his attention was focused on the burning feeling of betrayal inside of him. Whatever it took, he would make these two pay. Oh, yes, he would make them pay.

* * *

The last twenty four hours felt like they'd been a part of some big, horrible dream. Then again, the last seven months felt that way almost. Like they had been part of some giant dream. Yet as Spencer Reid sat back in his seat—and oh, how damn good it felt to be Spencer Reid once more—he knew it wasn't. This had all been startlingly, frighteningly real. But it was finally over. They were finally done. He looked to his left and saw Morgan was mirroring his pose almost perfectly. The two sat in the backseat of the SUV as an agent drove them straight to the Bureau to make their reports. They both had their knees slightly spread to accommodate the smaller leg space back here and their arms were resting on their legs with their hands dangling between. They also had their heads tipped back, resting against the headrests. It was obvious they were tired.

Directly after the initial arrest, the two had been taken in and run through an initial debriefing. They were questioned, required to give their reports. Thankfully they'd been able to report throughout the duration of their seven months with the Genus, one of the benefits of being able to go into town. That meant that they'd only needed to report on how the final events went. That was easy enough for them both. Then, for their safety, they were being returned home. They were to go to the Bureau and report to their Section Chief and then their Unit Chief. Then they would do another debriefing before being sent home for a week of recovery, after which they would be evaluated for their psychological state. If they passed, it would be at the section chief's discretion for when they would return to work.

The idea of seeing their friends was enough to push back some of Spencer's exhaustion. He caught Morgan looking at him and gave the man a half smile, getting one in return. One thing the two of them had become very adept at on this assignment was not only being able to read one another, but being able to communicate quite a bit without ever saying a word. Eyes, expressions, body language, gestures, so many things to get a point across without the people around them understanding. It was almost second nature now.

The look Morgan gave him clearly asked 'Are you ready for this?'

Spencer snorted softly and rolled his eyes, softening it with a grin. He was definitely ready to see the people he cared about, but he felt almost awkward in his own skin right now. In a nervous gesture he'd faked for so long it was now a habit, Spencer flicked his middle finger over the pad of his thumb repeatedly, not even noticing that he was doing it. It was one of the only outward signs of his nerves. Being in a car like this, _flying_, being around so many people, it all felt so strange. He'd gotten so used to the quiet and solitude of the compound. Granted, the place had been…well, there were plenty of words to describe it, very few of which were pleasant. But he had grown so used to playing a part. Morgan had as well. Even at the airport when they'd been getting ready to come home, the older man had kept himself beside Spencer, moving with him and reacting to things as if he were Sebastian, not Spencer Reid. And Spencer barely thought anything of it. They were both going to have to take some time to adjust back to being themselves.

His nerves came not only from being out and about like this, but from wondering what it was going to be like to see the team once more. Were they going to be furious with them for leaving without a goodbye? IT wasn't like he'd had a choice on that matter. Was everyone still going to be okay? Had anything big happened or changed? Had anyone been hurt? _Please, let everyone be okay_. He knew the Bureau would've given some kind of replacement for them while they were gone; there was no way they could leave the team two members short. Would the new person just leave now that they were back or would they want to keep him or her on? Would the Bureau want to keep them there? Would Strauss see this as a good chance to start splitting up their team as she always wanted to do?

So many questions were racing in his head, aching to be answered, making him more and more nervous the closer that they got to the Bureau. Yet, as he watched scenery go by, Spencer could admit that, all of his worries aside, it felt damn good to be home.

* * *

When Drew walked into the round table room after receiving his call, he had expected to find his unit chief or one of his other teammates waiting for him. The two men that stood inside the room weren't anyone that Drew knew. He'd never seen either one of them before. One was a stocky black guy with a military buzz cut and average jeans and t-shirt. A polar opposite was the guy beside him. Tall, scrawny, pale, the kid was dressed in converse and black slacks, a purple shirt with some kind of black spray paint writing on it, a studded short sleeved black over shirt, a dark blue scarf trialing to his waist, light purple arm warmers, blue fingerless gloves, and two piercings in his bottom lip on either side.

The look he was giving them was just as strange as the one they were giving him. "Um…what exactly is going on here?" Drew ventured to ask.

The two exchanged a look but neither got a chance to answer. All of a sudden another voice joined them. "Well I'll be damned." Dave said with a wide grin as he strode into the room. He moved straight to the men and hugged each of them tightly. "It's good to see you guys. Real good."

"Oh!" The loud shriek cut off more words and then Penelope Garcia was rushing into the room and almost leaping onto the darker man, who was laughing and hugging her back just as tightly. All of a sudden it seemed the room was full of people, voices, and the whole BAU team was there, converging on the two men, laughing and hugging them. Even Aaron was there, giving them a brief hug and smiling at them in a way that Drew rarely saw on the man's face. When they all separated, Drew noticed how the big guy angled himself close to the skinny one, almost as if he were protecting him. But from what? There was no threat in here. "So." The guy said. He grinned and gestured toward Drew with one hand. "I take it he's our replacement?"

Their replacement? Wait…these were Agents Morgan and Reid, the two that were supposed to be out on some assignment? These guys were agents? Drew didn't know what he'd been expecting but he could honestly say that these two weren't it.

The darker one moved over a little, one hand held out. Automatically Drew reached out and shook it. "Nice to meet you, man. I'm Derek Morgan and the punk looking kid behind me is Dr. Spencer Reid."

"I'm Drew. Drew Carlton."

That was all he got a chance to say before Garcia was moving over toward Spencer with a squeal and a laugh. "Look at you, vanilla bean! You make an absolutely _adorable_ punk rocker! Are those piercings real?"

Spencer pushed his tongue against his lip, fiddling with the rings there. "Yes. They were a gift after completing my first three months."

"I went with him. Wanna guess what I got pierced, baby girl?" Morgan said flirtatiously.

The sexual innuendo in that and the leer on the man's face, as well as the pet name, shocked Drew. Wait a second! This guy was an agent, a part of this team, and he was talking to Garcia that way? Even more shocking was that no one seemed to think anything of it. Drew couldn't believe it. He was used to the way Garcia had nicknames for her friends, but they were always friendly and, well, fluffy. This was blatantly sexual. Was she just going to be okay with that? He got his answer a second later when Garcia let out a warm laugh and sidled up to Morgan, trailing one finger down his chest as she almost purred the words "Sounds like fun to me, hot stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Emily joked as she pushed forward. "Molest one another later. I want to hear everything you guys can tell us about what you did. You've been gone _seven months_. You've got a lot to talk about, boys. Now, sit!"

That was how Drew found himself seated at the table with everyone else, with Garcia gathering coffee for everyone and someone even ordered something for a late dinner. Deciding to just roll with this, he shook his head and sat back in his seat, preparing to hear whatever it was these two had been up to.


	6. Chapter 6

It was fantastic to look around the table and see the faces of their family. Absolutely fantastic. Spencer couldn't seem to stop himself from looking around at them all, drinking in their faces, enjoying their smiles and laughter. He swore he could practically _feel_ the love around him. He was content to sit in the chair and look at everyone. But they wanted to hear the story and so that was what he was going to give them. "Do you guys know at all what it is that we were doing?" He asked the room. When everyone but Aaron shook their head no, Spencer nodded and prepared to start from the beginning. "Strauss recommended me for placement in an undercover assignment with the Genus cult. Up to that moment, no agent had been able to make it inside. Each time they tried, he knew even before the initial interview that they were agents. So they wanted to send in profilers, hoping we'd be able to better read him and deceive him as well as better be able to gain the necessary information once inside."

"That was our job." Morgan added in as he took the coffee carafe that Garcia had started to pass around. He poured some in his mug before pouring some in Spencer's and then passing it over to Ashley, who was on Spencer's other side. "They suspected Ashton, the leader of Genus, of quite a few nasty things, but they couldn't prove anything. One of the biggest ones they suspected was human trafficking. Selling babies, children."

Once Morgan finished putting the sugar in his coffee for him, Spencer leaned forward and picked up the cup. "They wanted me there because Ashton is an intelligent man who respects intelligence and they wanted someone that could keep up with him, so to speak. Also, my memory allowed me to view documents and the like without having to write things down to remember them for my reports. And it also makes me an idea witness in court. They didn't want to send me in alone on the off chance there was trouble, so they sent Morgan with me."

"Naturally." Emily teased them. "Since Morgan's made it his life's effort to keep you out of trouble. Well, more than the rest of us, at least."

Humor brightened Spencer's eyes while embarrassment stained his cheeks. He ignored that and continued on with his story. "The Genus lives on a commune, though some members do live and work inside the city. They aren't a religious or racial cult, but one that proclaims they are all for free will. That they will not judge anyone for color, sexuality, looks, beliefs, or gender. They offer to take in the misfits, the freaks of the world, and provide them with a loving environment. A sanctuary without any of the judgments of modern society."

"Easy way to get people." Dave said. He shook his head and took a drink of his coffee. "People are always dying to be accepted somewhere. What he was offering probably sounded like heaven to some kids out there."

"Well, to get in, we needed a story." Morgan took over. He slanted an amused look to Spencer. "Our options were kind of limited on stories, so genius boy over here said that we should make it as close to reality as possible to make it easier to remember. So we kind of took what was already here and just built off it. Instead of Spencer being a quirky genius who's a little shy and awkward, he was Sebastian, a high functioning autistic with high intelligence, and I was his best friend, Jace. We got in with the story that I'd been trying to take care of him but he couldn't work and I couldn't make ends meet and he was getting beaten up for being different. They lapped it up."

At their amused looks, Spencer flushed a little. "It made it easier for me to interact with Ashton as well. All he saw was someone intelligent with a fantastic head for numbers and who was harmless as a kitten. Within a month, I was spending time with him in his office. By three months, he would occasionally leave me alone in there, unsupervised. At four months, he started to make me his accountant, essentially giving me access to his accounts and various transactions which allowed me to pass the numbers along and allow his spending to be tracked as best as possible. I was also given self-defense training so I could go with him to business meetings and not only act as his accountant, but as a private bodyguard no one would suspect."

"And he never knew that the kid was feeding everything he learned out in his reports every week."

"What reason would Pater have for suspecting Sebastian?" Spencer quipped.

Garcia leaned toward Morgan, her hand resting on his arm as if she couldn't resist touching him and reassuring herself that he really was right there and he wasn't going anywhere. "But you guys caught him at something, right? That's why you're finally back home, isn't it?"

With a smile that was just slightly tight at the edges, Morgan looked at her and nodded. "Yep. Ashton Blodgett and others in his little 'group' are up against charges of kidnapping, human trafficking, and any other little charges they can get from that meeting. Ashton is also facing charges for sexual assault of minors."

Spencer shifted in his seat slightly, trying to make himself a little more comfortable. He had to sigh when he realized that no, this wasn't going to wait. With one hand he reached for Morgan's arm, lightly dancing his fingers over the man's forearm in a light touch that immediately drew Morgan's attention. Without hesitation the older man set his cup down and looked at everyone with a smile. "Excuse us a minute, guys. We'll be right back." Then he took hold of Spencer's chair, pulling it back as the young genius rose. Together, the two made their way out of the conference room, not saying a word to each other as they moved through the bullpen and toward their destination.

Finally they reached the door they needed and Morgan stepped inside first, taking a quick look before nodding to Spencer, who smiled and slipped inside. While the young man made his way to one of the bathroom stalls, Morgan took up a stance near the door, just as he'd done many times on the compound over the past seven months. One lesson they'd learned fast was never, ever, go somewhere like the communal bathroom alone. Not every male on the compound was a decent individual. Taking in the 'unwanted' from all over brought in quite a few different types of characters.

They still said nothing as Spencer came out and washed his hands. The silence was comfortable between them, something that was easy. When they were finally finished, they made their way back out together once more, arms brushing together slightly as they walked. It was as they stepped into the bullpen that Spencer's stomach gave a slight rumble, reminding him he hadn't eaten most of the day. He let his arm brush a little closer to Morgan's, quietly telling him "Why don't we go out and get something to eat with everyone before heading home? You're probably as hungry as I am and you know they'll have more questions."

"You think?" Morgan teased him easily. His smile took away any potential sting for the words. "Sounds like a good idea to me, kid, I'm hungry too. And by the time we're done, I'll probably be ready to crash. We'll have to see if someone can drop us off at home; my car's still there so I've got no way to drive anywhere right now."

"I'm sure that won't be that difficult."

As they got close to the top of the ramp, Morgan sighed softly, drawing Spencer's eyes .The older man had a fond look on his face, looking ahead to the conference room. "It really is good to be home, man. Really, really good."

Spencer felt a matching smile curve his lips. "Yes. Yes, it is."

* * *

**So I know, SUPER short, but hey, it's Christmas, right? I promise after the holiday is over I'll be back to regular updates on this and my other story, so don't you worry! But I'm at my in-laws so I was lucky to get on long enough to write and post this :/ It was only cause I couldn't sleep lol. Well, hope you liked and like I said, give me a few days and I'll be back! Happy Holidays to all of you!**


End file.
